Vi undersøker påstanden.

We investigate the claim.

Breakdown of Vi undersøker påstanden.

• vi: we
• påstanden: the claim; assertion
• undersøke: to investigate; examine

Questions & Answers about Vi undersøker påstanden.

Why does undersøker end in -er?

Because undersøker is the present tense form of the verb å undersøke (to investigate / to examine).

A very common pattern in Norwegian is:

• infinitive: å undersøke
• present tense: undersøker

So Vi undersøker påstanden means we investigate / we are investigating the claim, depending on context.

Unlike English, Norwegian usually uses the simple present form here and does not need a separate verb like are.

---

Why is there no word for are in the sentence?

In Norwegian, you normally do not use a separate auxiliary like English am/is/are to make a present ongoing action.

English:

• We investigate the claim
• We are investigating the claim

Norwegian often uses the same form for both ideas:

• Vi undersøker påstanden

So the present tense alone can cover both a general present and an action happening now. The exact meaning depends on context.

---

What does påstanden mean, and why does it end in -en?